HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO. 32 OF 2022
THE HUMAN RIGHTS CENTRE UGANDA
(HRCU)
WEEKLY UPDATE ON THE KEY EMERGING
HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WITHIN THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT OF HRDS IN UGANDA
THE WEEK OF 5TH TO
11TH SEPTEMBER, 2022
Dear
Reader,
Welcome
to a new week,
The
Human Rights Centre Uganda is pleased to share with you this week’s edition of
the prime emerging human rights issues from last week.
In
the course of last week, The Human Rights Centre Uganda launched the 2020-2021
Annual Human Rights Defenders Situational Analysis Report. Download and read
the report here: https://www.hrcug.org/situation%20reports.html.
For details: https://twitter.com/HRCUG/status/1568219919761788929
Below
are some of the key human rights issues that emerged last week
THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM
OF EXPRESSION VS RIGHT TO PRIVACY: MPS PASS CONTROVERSIAL COMPUTER MISUSE LAW
Parliament
on September 8, 2022, passed the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill 2022 targeting
critical voices online.
The
legislation that has been panned by a list of stakeholders, including the
Ministry of ICT’s Permanent Secretary, Ms Aminah Zawedde, who requested that it
be withdrawn, proposes a raft of punitive measures against people who send
malicious information, hate speech, unsolicited information and sharing
information about children without the consent of their parents or guardians.
It
also criminalises the writing, sending, or sharing of any information through a
computer, which is likely to ridicule, degrade or demean another person, group
of persons, tribe, ethnicity, religion, or gender; create divisions among
persons, a tribe, an ethnicity, a religion or gender; and or, promote hostility
against a person, group of persons, a tribe, an ethnicity group, a religion or
gender.
The
Bill was passed with scarcely any audible yes to combustible proposals put to
the MPs for consideration. Amid heckling voices by a section of
dissatisfied MPs, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among told them to seek legal
redress.
Source:https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/mps-pass-controversial-computer-misuse-law-3942524
THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM FROM TORTURE: MAN TORTURED BY CHINESE BOSS IN MOROTO SEEKS JUSTICE
A 34-year-old man is
pleading for justice after being allegedly subjected to torture by his
supervisors at China Railway No.3 Engineering Group (CR3), a company contracted
to construct the road from Moroto to the Kenyan border at Lokitanyala.
Martin Satya, a
driver hired by the company told URN that he was tortured on August 28, 2022 by
his Chinese boss who accused him of siphoning fuel from a truck that he had
been told to take to the garage for repairs.
Satya narrated that he was taken to Moroto central police station (CPS) where
he spent three days without treatment until he was granted police bond on
August 31 when his health condition deteriorated. He added that when he went to
seek help from the human resources office, he was ordered out of the premises
by the same supervisor who tortured him.
Satya said that
although he was detained by police, he never recorded any statement and his
pursuit for justice has also been downplayed by the force. Justin Ekanya, the
human resource manager at CR3, said the matter is being handled officially and
that the company authorities are equally awaiting police action.
However, Micheal Longole, the Mt Moroto Regional police spokesperson said he
has not yet received such a case on his desk.
Source:https://observer.ug/news/headlines/75100-man-tortured-by-chinese-boss-in-moroto-seeks-justice
NATURAL DISASTERS AND
THE RIGHT TO LIFE: KASESE MUDSLIDES DEATH
TOLL RISES TO 15
The death toll in the Kasese mudslides rose to 15 people. Six more bodies were recovered today Wednesday September 7, 2022 afternoon in addition to the nine recovered earlier in the day. Seven people were taken to different health facilities with serious injuries. The mudslides occurred at around 2:30 am on Wednesday September 7, 2022 in Kasika, Rukoki sub-county Kasese district following heavy rains. At least 20 houses were reduced to rubble and property of unspecified value was buried in the mud.
Residents said the rains started from the mountainous areas of Kadingidi village forcing several water streams to overflow. The police medical team aided by residents is currently doing a postmortem and identifying the bodies at Kigoro primary school playground.
Immy Muhindo Kithama,
the Rukoki sub-county LC III chairperson, said that police and local rescue
teams continue digging through the rubble to search for more victims. He
adds they are currently recording all people who have lost their loved ones and
properties in order to come up with a comprehensive report.
Kasese District LC V chairperson Eliphazi Muhindi, said that they have already
contacted the central government. He says that through the area, MP, Gedeon
Mujungi, the Prime Minister Robinan Nabbanja, has promised to visit the area by
close of business.
He added they have also sent in equipment like graders to boost the rescue efforts. Muhindi adds that they are requesting people staying in the area to immediately vacate and move to safer zones with the prediction of more rains. The district is expected to send in some relief food and tarpaulins to the affected households.
Source and details: https://observer.ug/news/headlines/75068-kasese-mudslide-death-toll-rises-to-15
THE
RIGHT TO A FAIR HEARING: MPS SSEGIRINYA, SSEWANYANA: A YEAR IN JAIL WITHOUT
TRIAL
September 7, 2022, made a year since the Kawempe
North Member of Parliament, Muhammad Ssegirinya and his Makindye West
counterpart Allan Ssewanyana were remanded to prison in connection with the
machete Killings in the greater Masaka region. The legislator's trial has never
kicked off and their numerous attempts to get out on bail have hit a dead end.
The
duo's lawyer and Kampala Woman Member of Parliament, Shamim Malende, said that
the state has until now failed to produce evidence against her clients.
According to Malende, they are unable to predict whether the duo's trial will
commence anytime soon. She said the incarceration of the legislators for a full
year without trial has denied their voters representation in the August House.
The
Leader of Opposition, Mr Mathias Mpuuga while on the floor of Parliament said
the two MPs will require special intervention from the House, arguing that
there seems to be a syndicate to have them in detention against the
Constitution which is clear about the rights of those in detention.
Source and details:https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/mps-ssegirinya-ssewanyana-a-year-in-jail-without-trial-3941502
A BIG STEP INTO THE
PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS WORKERS: GOVT DEVELOPS ONLINE MONITORING
SYSTEM TO HELP MIGRANT WORKERS
Government
has developed an online monitoring system to address the challenges faced by
migrant workers. This followed a long-lasting outcry by domestic workers mostly
in Arab countries about their mistreatment which at times results into death.
Speaking to the press at Uganda Media Centre in Kampala, the Minister of Gender, Betty Amongi said the migrant workers will need to download this app on their phones and they will be monitored.
The app has capacity to locate the migrant workers, and monitor how they are. Additionally, a 24-hour call centre has been put in place where distressed workers will raise their complaints.
According to Amongi,
this fast technology sends workers’ conversations after every 2 minutes.
The app is now being
tried in Saudi Arabia and all distressed migrant workers have been urged to
utilize it by forwarding their complaints which will be followed up by the
embassies.
Source:https://www.kfm.co.ug/news/govt-develops-online-monitoring-system-to-help-migrant-workers.html
CONCLUDING
REMARKS
1. The development
of an online monitoring system by the government for migrant workers is a big step
towards curbing/addressing challenges and human rights abuses faced by Ugandan migrants especially those working in Middle East countries. It should be recalled
that in the 24th Annual Report on the state of human rights and
freedoms in Uganda in 2021 by the Uganda Human Rights Commission, the Commission's report under Chapter 2 on “Externalisation of
Labour in the Middle East” recommended government should set up a
tracking system that monitors the recording, coding, investigation, and resolution
of all complaints raised by migrant workers. For that reason, the development
of this system is a stride towards the implementation of the above recommendation
aimed at improving the working conditions of migrant workers and ensuring that
their fundamental rights including economic rights, and freedoms are protected and promoted.
2. Any act of
torture is highly condemned and no person should be subjected to any form of
it. The right to freedom from torture is among the non-derogable rights and is provided
for under Article 44 of the 1995 Uganda Constitution. In addition, the government of
Uganda passed the Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act, 2012 criminalising
and prohibiting torture. Therefore we must all act in accordance with the above
law and also desist from acts that are tantamount to any form of torture. Respect
for workers' rights is basal in the enjoyment of economic rights as
provided for under Article 40 of the Uganda Constitution and where an offense is committed by a worker, it’s important that he/she is discerned in accordance
with the law.
3. HRCU continues to appreciate all those working towards promoting and striving for the protection and realization of fundamental human rights and freedoms in Uganda and further than. As a way of contributing to the achievement of the above, documentation of key issues that continue to crop up within the working environment of HRDs helps in creating and relaying redress mechanisms and further supporting the call for advocacy and action to be undertaken by human rights defenders and other relevant stakeholders.
Thank you for reading. Your feedback
shall be highly appreciated
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